Rope-clamp



INVENTU R: dOHN GATES,

ATTYE J. GATES.

'Patented Ma1-.7,1882.

(No Model.)

, RPE CLAMP.

No. A254.473.

UNITED STATES4 PATENT Ormea.

JOHN GATES, OF PORTLAND, OREGON.

ROPE-CLAMP.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 254,473, dated March '7, 1882.

Application filed May 25, 1881.

To all whom it may concern A Be itknown that I, JOHN GATEs, of Portland, in the county of Multnomah and State of Oregon, have invented new and useful Improvements in Fasteners for the Ropes or Chains of Steering-Wheels; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description ofthe same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon.

This invention consists mainly, first, in constructing the eye of a steering-wheel rope fastener with a lower portion, adapted in size and shape to furnish a proper bed for the rope, and an upper portion of enlarged area, adapted to permit readily the threading of the end of the rope through the eye or the reuderin g of the rope through the same.

It cousists,further, in the combination, with the screw-eye, of binding-screws of different forms for properly securing in the eye ropes or chains, as will be fully described hereinafter.

In the drawings, Figure l represents a side view of the device; Fig. 2, a side view of the same at right angles to Fig. 1, with rope in place; Fig. 3, a vertical section of Fig. 2; Fig. 4, a vertical section of the eye; Fig. 5, a side view of a screw-eye and female binding-screw employed in connection therewith-a form of the device more particularly adapted for use with chains; Fig. 6, a vertical section of Fig. 5; Fig. 7, a side view of a modied form of the eye; Fig. 8, a side view and transverse section rope.

To enable others skilled in the art to make my improved wheel rope and chain fasteners, I will proceed to describe fully the construction and operation of the same.

A, Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 4, represents the screweye, consisting ofthe externally-threaded base portion, a, adapted to be irmly screwed-into the drum of the wheel, and the internallythreaded upper portion, c', having the eye, as shown, the lower part ot' which is adapted in size and shape to furnish a proper bed for the rope, and the upper portion of which is enlarged, as shown, to permit the end of the rope to be readily threaded, or to permit the rope itself to render freely through it.

(No model.)

B represents a binding-screw, having the base portion, b, with convex end, and with eX- ternal screw-threads adapted to engage wit-h the internal threads ofthe eye, and the upper knob portion, b', adapted to be conveniently grasped by the hand.

b2 b2 represent openings in the knob portion, in which a lever is inserted when it is desired to turn the knob down with great force.

The manner of using the fastener is shown in Fig. 3. The lower portion of the eye furnishes a proper bed for the rope, and the same is firmly held by the pressure ot' the binding screw uponit. By the employment of these special means for holding the rope the tendency to flatten or cut the sameis avoided. By

removing or turning up the binding-screw the end of the rope is readily threaded through the eye, or the rope itself is readily rendered throughit for the purpose of ,takin g up the slack.

If desired, the bed of the eye may be slightly curved, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4, for the purpose of obtaining by the bend in the rope a firmer hold upon the same.

The modified form, which is specially designed for use with chains, will now be described.

C, Figs. 5, 6, 7, and 8, represents a screweye, which is constructed like that previously described, with the exception that the upper portion of the same is externally threaded instead of internally threaded,.as before.

D represents a hollow knob, provided with internalthreads adapted to engage with the external threads of the screw-eye.

The manner of using the fastener is shown in Fig. 8, two at links being clamped by the knob, while theintermediate vertical link rests within the eye.

If desired, a rope may be used in this fastener, as shown in Fig. 5, or a chain may be held in the fastener shown in Figs. l and 2, instead of a rope.

By means of the construction described a rope or chain may have its end readily threaded through the eye of the fastener, or the rope or chain itself may be caused to render readily through it when desired. The rope or chain also may be firmly secured, when desired, by simply turning down the knob or bindingscrew. v

E, Fig. 9, shows a modicationin which the ICO opening in the screw-eye is straight-sided and cut out at the top, thus converting it into a deep longitudinal depression or groove for the accommodation of the bight of a. steering- 5 rope when it is desired to use one rope fastened to the drum by its middle portion n place of two ropes secured by their ends. The hollow knob D is used with this form of eye.

Having thus fully described my invention, 1o what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

A rope-holder having an eye enlarged at one end and reduced at the other, combined with a screw-follower adapted to press the-rope into the contracted portion of the eye, substan- 15 tially as described.

This specification signed and witnessed this 26th day of February, 1881.

JOHN GATES. Witnesses:

E. WV. CORNELL,

S. S. DoUGLAss. 

